Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at Georgia State University

Georgia State's geosciences program outperforms most in-state alternatives, ranking in the 60th percentile among Georgia programs with first-year earnings of $39,375—about $3,000 above the state median. While the national ranking sits near the middle (47th percentile), what matters more for most students is the in-state comparison, where this program clearly delivers stronger outcomes than peers like University of West Georgia. The $26,500 debt burden is manageable with a 0.67 debt-to-earnings ratio, and graduates see solid income growth to $50,857 by year four.

The caveat here is sample size—with fewer than 30 graduates in the data, a few outliers could skew the picture significantly. This might be an intentionally small program or could reflect modest interest in geosciences at Georgia State. Half the student body receives Pell grants, suggesting the university serves many first-generation and lower-income students who successfully transition to careers in geology, environmental consulting, or related fields.

For Georgia families, this program offers a reasonable path into geosciences without the debt burden that plagues many STEM fields. The combination of below-average debt and above-state-average earnings creates breathing room for graduates, though the small cohort size means you'll want to verify the program still offers robust coursework and industry connections before committing.